The present invention relates to a cover assembly for covering an inflatable occupant protection device.
It is known to mount an inflatable occupant protection device, such as an air bag, on a vehicle steering wheel to help protect the vehicle driver in the event of a vehicle collision. The air bag is secured to the steering wheel as a part of an air bag module which includes an actuatable air bag inflator. In the event of sudden vehicle deceleration, such as occurs in a vehicle collision, the inflator is actuated to inflate the air bag into a position to help protect the vehicle driver from injury.
The air bag module typically includes a cover that conceals the other components of the module from view. The cover has a rupturable seam, which ruptures upon inflation of the air bag to allow the air bag to deploy through the cover and into position to help protect the vehicle driver. Between the cover and the air bag, it is common to provide an electrical horn switch, which is operable to actuate a vehicle horn by manually pressing on the outer surface of the cover. The electrical horn switch is typically a membrane-type switch known in the art.
The present invention is a cover assembly for covering an inflatable occupant protection device. The cover assembly comprises a cover having an inner surface for facing the inflatable occupant protection device and a manually depressible outer surface. An electrical switch is actuatable by manual depression of the outer surface. A backer plate supports the electrical switch adjacent the inner surface. A plurality of openings extend through the backer plate. A rib extends from the inner surface around at least a portion of the periphery of the electrical switch. A plurality of stakes extend from the inner surface through the plurality of openings in the backer plate. Each of the plurality of stakes has a portion connected with the rib to hold the backer plate on the cover.
The portion of each of the plurality of stakes connected to the rib comprises material of the portion which is adhered to and commingled with material of the rib. The backer plate engages a part of the inner surface and is held against the part of the inner surface by the plurality of stakes.
The cover has a first thickness where the manually depressible outer surface is located and a second thickness where the backer plate engages the part of the inner surface. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness. The part of the inner surface provides a space between the backer plate and another part of the inner surface so that the electrical switch is not normally pressed between the backer plate and the inner surface. The part of the inner surface underlies a depression in the outer surface.